pease



(No Model.)

0. F. PHASE. .VELOGIPEDE.

Patented Mar. 7, 1893.

I IIIIIIIJW/(III/I H hm W M %M Y Nomws pzrzas 00., PNOTO-LITHO WA NITEDSTATES PATENT Erica.

CHARLES E. PEASE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMES & FROSTCOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 492,988, dated March 7,1893.

Application filed October 22, 1892. Serial No. 449,601- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. PEASE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Velocipedes; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being had totheaccompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates particularly to means for securing and adjustingthe stem of the handle-bar of a bicycle and to means for adjusting thebearing at the head of the bicycle.

The object of the invention is to produce a more simple and economicaland a stronger construction than has heretofore been prod need.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a Vertical, sectional view ofa portion of a bicycle to which my invention is applied. Fig. 2 is asection on the line 0;b of Fig. 1, looking downward. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of a portion of the clamping-strap.

In the accompanying drawings, A is the front fork, and A is the tubularneck rising from the front fork and to which the stem of the handle-barand the head of the frame are applied. Heretofore said tubular neck hashad near its upper end a threaded portion extending outward a littlefarther than the rest of the cylindric surface of said neck. Said neckwas usually formed by taking a solid shaft and turning down all of theexterior excepting that portion upon which threads were to be form ed.Then said threads were turned, and thereafter said shaft was bored outalmost to the lower end to make a partial tube. This work is expensiveand tedious and cannot always be done so correctly as to make a strongneck. Occasionally in the process of boring, the tool is defiectedsufficiently to produce athin and consequently weak wall atone side. Inmy construction said threaded portion is omitted and the entire neck isuniform in surface and diameter throughout its entire length. A piece ofstock tubing of good quality may be used: and it requires no furtherwork than the longitudinal slotting of the transverse channeling to behereinafter described. The lower end of said neck is let into the upperend of the fork and secured thereto by brazing, or said neck and forkmay be made contin uous in any other suitable manner. At its upper end,its rearward side is vertically slotted a short distance, as at a, andat the lower portion of said slot, said neck has formed into it atransverse groove, 0. to a depth of approximately the thickness of theWall of said neck.

B is the tubular head of the frame. This surrounds the neck, A, and hasat its lower end a bearing on an annular seat, B, on the upper end ofthe fork, B. Balls, b may in tervene between said head and said seat inthe well known manner. At the upper portion of said head, B, anadjusting collar, B surrounds said neck and bears upon the upper end ofsaid head in the well known manner. Balls, 5 may intervene between saidcollar and said head, as indicated in the drawings. upon said neck ashas been heretofore done. On the contrary, the interior of said collaris smooth and fits neatly but loosely around said neck, which latter, asalready stated, is smooth throughout its entire length.

0 is the stem of the handle-bar. This is preferably made tubular as hasbeen done heretofore. It is cylindric and of uniform diameter and has asmooth exterior. Said stem telescopes into the neck, B, fitting to thelatter closely but loosely.

D is the clamping-strap extending around the upper end of the neck, A,and the upper portion of the collar, 13*. The portion of the interior ofsaid strap extending around said collar is threaded to the latter. Theremainder of the interior of said strap is smooth. At the extreme upperend said strap is preferably contracted so as to extend over the upperend of the neck, A, into contact with the stem, 0. At its middle and atthe rear said strap has preferably cut into it a horizontal slot, D, sothat the portion of the strap above and below said slot may beseparately contracted and relaxed. Above and below said slot each sideof the strap is provided with an But said collar is not threaded ear, Dthrough which extends a horizontal opening, D A bolt, E,extendshorizontally through theholes, D above said slot, and a bolt, E,extends through the holes, D below said slot. The opening, D is formedhorizontally through the clamping-strap between the bolts,'E, and E, insuch position and of such form as that it will together with thechannel, a form a cylindric passage for a bolt, E Said bolt, E whenresting in said opening serves as a key to prevent said clampingstrapfrom rotating or moving up and down upon the neck, A. Tightening thebolt, E, will clamp the lower portion of the strap, D, to the neck, A,and to the collar, 13*. If the hearings or head, B, are to be adjusted,said bolt, E, must be loosened and the collar, B screwed up or down asmay be required. Then the bolt, E, is to be tightened. \Vith the bolt,E, thus tightened, the neck, C, of the handle-bar is still free withinthe neck, A, of the fork. It the bolt, E, is now tightened the upperportion of the clamping-strap, D, is bound tightly around the upper endof the neck, A, and the latter is compressed (as permitted by the slot,a) and pressed tightly against said neck, 0. Either the bolt, E, or thebolt, E, may be loosened While the other remains tight, so that anadjustment of either the handle-bar or of the bearings of the head, B,may be made separately.

I claim as my invention-- 1. In a velocipede, the combination with thetubular head, B, of a fork having a tubular neck of uniform diameter andsmooth exterior, a collar, B having a smooth interior and surroundingsaid neck above said head, B, and exteriorly threaded, a clamping-strapsurrounding said neck and said collar and threaded to the latter andkeyed to the former, and a bolt for tightening said strap, substantiallyas described.

2. In a velocipede, the combination with the tubular head, B, of a forkhaving a tubular neck of uniform diameter and smooth exterior andslotted at its upper end, a collar, B having a smooth interiorandsurrounding said neck above said head, 13, and exteriorly threaded, ahandle-bar stem extending into said neck, a clam ping-strap surroundingsaid neck and said collar and threaded to the latter and keyed to theformer and a bolt for tightening the lower portion of said clampingstrapand a bolt for tightening the upper portion of said strap, substantiallyas described.

3. In a velocipede, the combination with the tubular head, B, of a forkhaving a tubular neck of uniform diameter and smooth exterior andslotted at its upper end, a collar, B having a smooth interior andsurrounding said neck above said head, B, and exteriorly threaded, ahandle-bar stem extending into said neck, a clamping-strap surroundingsaid neck and said collar and contracted at the top to extend over theupper end of said neck into contact with the handle-bar stem andthreaded to the latter and keyed to the former, and a bolt fortightening the lower portion of said clamping-strap and a bolt fortightening the upper portion of said strap, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses,this 11th day of 0ctober, in the year 1892.

CHARLES F. PEASE.

Witnesses:

W. E. KING, CYRUS KEHR.

